Why not a rangefinder?

[Drew Bedo]

Re: lens board interchangeability. I have a Wista made Zone VI that takes boards that fit Wista, Toyo and Linhoff cameras. I have an adapter lens board for my 8x10 Kodak 2D that takes these boards too. This allows me to mount some of my longer 4x5 lenses on the larger camera. The Graphic cameras take different lens boards. I have a couple of Graphic lens boards mounted with flanges that allow mw to mount several of my regular lenses to my press camera (I do not do this often).

My three most commonly used lenses have step-up rings that allow me to use the same set of filters across the board.

One of my friends has a huge roll-around Snap-On tool chest filled with every kind of lens, Do-Dad and Gill-Hicky for his several cameras . . . .I am not that guy.

[grat]

I know the standard advice is to buy a cheap monorail to start with, but consider what kind of photography you want to do. Monorails are, as a rule, large and cumbersome**. They have fantastic flexibility, and can almost photograph themselves, but there's a level of involvement to transport and set them up. A good friend of mine who was responsible in large part for me getting into LF photography has a Calumet-CC-- it weighs about 8 pounds, and lives in a large heavy case. It doesn't travel much.

After some consideration, I realized that I am somewhat lazy, and while I don't mind carrying a few pounds of camera gear, lugging a box with a monorail around seems to be excessive, and as a result, if I bought a monorail, it would sit in my house, and take occasional photos of my backyard, and otherwise, gather dust.

So, I bought a lightweight field camera that fits in a backpack, along with four lenses, a few film backs, a light meter, two release cables, and a dark cloth, and the whole kit weighs about 11 pounds. Its highly portable, and is therefore more likely to leave my house.

** Yes, I know there are exceptions, but they tend to be significantly more expensive.

[Corran]

You can have relatively "cheap" AND a rangefinder camera. Just get a Crown or Speed Graphic.

You can find beater Graphics for $100, probably with an RF that doesn't work or is in need of cleaning / service, but what do you expect at that price? A "premium" kit with RF coupled lens probably will still be less than a new field camera.

I just gave one away that needed work that I didn't have time to do.

[Bobab]

I don't have a car, so portability is quite important. I will look at the Graphics, but the prices may not be as inviting in the UK as in the US

[Dan Fromm]

If you're in the UK, think MPP.

[Dan Fromm]

These are all monorails right? I assume you are suggesting these because the price is better? What would be a good price to pay for some of these? For example I saw a Sinar Norma for £399, but wasn't sure if that was too expensive. Didn't come with any accessories other than ground glass. Is it usually cheaper to buy a set than trying to put a kit together?

Hmm. LF helps those who help themselves. With that in mind, use this site's resources. www.largeformatphotography.info has FAQs and articles. Read. The first post in this https://www.largeformatphotography.i...mainly)-lenses discussion is a link to a set of catalogs etc. Read.

[Bobab]

Hmm. LF helps those who help themselves. With that in mind, use this site's resources. www.largeformatphotography.info has FAQs and articles. Read. The first post in this https://www.largeformatphotography.i...mainly)-lenses discussion is a link to a set of catalogs etc. Read.

Thanks. That is all I have been doing for the last 2 weeks, but is extremely difficult for me to retain very dry abstract information in my head about a topic I have no practical experience with and make useful decisions.

[EdSawyer]

I think a rangefinder on a 4x5 is a very good thing to have. I shoot handheld 4x5 all the time, with the usual graphics, also with TLRs, SLRs and polaroid conversions as well. Any of the press cameras are a good start.

[Bob Salomon]

Thanks. That is all I have been doing for the last 2 weeks, but is extremely difficult for me to retain very dry abstract information in my head about a topic I have no practical experience with and make useful decisions.

1: what do you want to shoot? People, places, things? All of them?
2: do you want to shoot wide angle? Long lenses? Normal lenses? All of them?
3: do you want to shoot spontaneously, hand held? Or studiously on a tripod with movements? Or both?
4: do you want the ability to use Scheimpflug (plane of focus) controls, or not? Or both?
Answer those 4 questions and you will then be able to choose a technical camera, a press camera or a monorail camera.

[Greg Y]

What Bernice Loui said: "As mentioned many times previously too many focus on the camera alone without consideration to print making or image creation goals. More often than not, the camera is not as important as most would want to believe as it is merely a single tool to be used in the image creation process."